Time to get constructive

Today I'm sad. I'm sad that we seem to be taking one step forward and two steps back. And I'm sad that our factions are fighting each other. All movements need a combination of radical action and patient reinforcement to work. But it feels like we've gone from being a collective body of Suffragettes and Suffragists (who disagreed but played different roles), to being like the white women who left black women behind after they got the vote and then denigrated Black Feminism as 'dividing their movement'.

We cannot create progress in this environment. Recent events and misfires have caused hurt and anger to surface. These emotions are real and so is their cause - in this instance sexual harassment. So the question is what should we do with them? How can we harness them constructively to create action?

As an aside, saying 'tangible action' is not the same as taking it. And research is not the same as action.

I love these three laws for a constructive conversation that I happened on today (borrowed from here) - perhaps we can use them to move forward:

"1. Ensure psychological safety
Everyone should be able to contribute without fear of negative consequences of self-image, status or career."

This is what we need to create action on sexual harassment.

"2. Majority rule and minority rights
What is right for the many ought to prevail, but not at the expense of rights for the minority. "

This is how we need to form new policies and challenge existing law.

"3. Do not get addicted to moral outage
When people feel something is unfair, they understandably get emotional. The problem is that it is easy to get addicted to moral outrage. "

This is what we must overcome to get there, both as a group and in ourselves. So putting my asides aside, this is my own internal struggle today.

This post was written by Elle Graham-Dixon as a Marketing Society blogger. In this capacity, she writes as herself, not on behalf of BBDO. Follow her @elle__o__elle